Mom just learned the hard way *not* to take me in the car- just after supper

I went with Mom to get B to do his laundry this morning. I was barking and whining a lot. Mom thought it was probably because she left me alone in the car to get some food the night before last. No worries, it wasn't hot , she could see the car, she ordered the food and came right back. But her leaving me in the car alone kind of freaked me out, so I seemed to regress a bit this morning. B wanted to go home right after supper and Mom thought she would take me with them. Both she and B were very surprised that I didn't bark and hardly whined. Mom thought that maybe I was finally getting the hang of this car thing. She dropped B off, drove down the street , looked back to check on me and I was , well, getting ready to do my business . By the time it was safe to stop, it was too late. * red face* She stopped to dispose of the evidence and I was still pretty quiet for the rest of the drive. She looked at me again and I was starting to drool. Mom remembered that I used to get car sick. Thankfully we were home before that could happen. She said from now on the car trips will be at least 2 hours after meals!

Yum , ice cream

So, I heard Princesse got a doggie ice cream last night. Tonight Mom took me in the car to get one too. She had to eat the cone because I am allergic to flour, but I loved the ice cream.

Grocery store trip

So once again Mom had to drive my furless brother somewhere. Tonight it was the grocery store. So Mom decided to bring me for a walk and to the dog park before our drive, hoping that maybe I would burn some energy and be calmer in the car. Mom took me to pee in the parking lot of the grocery store and then sat in the back seat with me while my furless brother was in the store. I am doing so much better in the car! Mom is thinking of taking me with her every week when B does his groceries.

Making progress

Mom has been working with me on my car anxiety. Partly because she got a new doggie seat belt called the GoFer and partly because my groomer is moving . For the last few weeks she has been driving me 5 minutes away to the little park for my walk. She gives me lots of treats and throws some in the back seat for me to find. Today she decided to take me with her when she went to get my furless brother to do his laundry at our house. He lives 10 minutes away. That means I was in the car for 20 minutes straight! I only whined and barked a little bit . I got lots and lots of treats! She is so happy that she was finally able to run an errand with me in the car , like other people do with their dogs :)

I am also doing really well on our walks with my barking and lunging. She got a harness for the car and I don't pull nearly as much with that on either.

Groomer visit

I went to the groomer today.I am looking good! Mom fed me piece after peice of my kibble in the car so I hardly had a chance to bark, whine and pace. Good thing the groomer is only 5 minutes away or Mom would have run out of kibble bol. She is going to need lots more in a few months because the groomer is moving 15 minutes away. Eek!

Whoo hoo!

I am doing so well on our walks now! 3 shiz tzus passed by us last night and tonight. I looked at them, didnt bark or lunge, looked at mom, who clicked and gave me chesse every time I looked at her. Mom wanted to do a happy dance:)

Another year older!

Mom says she can hardly believe I am 9 now. The other night I met a doggie friend at the dog park. My mom asked his mom how old she thought I was. She said " 3 or 4" When mom told her I was going to be 9 really soon, she said " He sure has lots of energy!" I still feel and act like a puppy :)

More clicker fun!

Mom brought me to the park today and she saw a great training opportunity. There was a jogger going around the track , so we went off to the side every time the jogger went by and I looked at mom, I got a click and a treat. I caught on really fast!

Mom learned some new tricks

Mom has been volunteering to clicker train dogs at the shelter. She learned a new game there called "find it". It's a game we both love. She throws treats on the ground and when I find and eat them , I hear a clicking noise. She has been playing that game with me the last couple of walks when something makes me bark and lunge. Now I am too busy finding the treats to bother barking and lunging. Mom thinks its a pretty cool game!

another vet visit....

Mom noticed I had been drinking an awful lot of water lately. She knows that can be a sign of diabtes so off we went to that horrible vet place for tests. Mom and the vet were very pleased with the results. I am not diabetic and the vet says that my test results were great.she told mom that if she didn't know how old I was so would never be able to tell by those results That made momfeel she was talking very good care of me. They still don't know why I am drinking so much but that vet said just to keep an eye on me and if it gets worse she will check my bkadder. Mom is very happy I am not diabetic because she and the vet both thinj that I would not make a very cooperative patient!